This article will take your mind back to those glorious days when we used to be together playing and fighting. We will consider the importance of one of the vital activities of our curriculum which is the compulsory and always exciting Morning Assembly. We will dissect it showing the various activities done in the morning assembly and the importance of each of these activities to the Nigerian child who is now an adult.
The morning assembly is one of the compulsory school activity it is done first thing in the morning before classes begins. To some people this all important activity is done to check lateness and make to student stand under the morning sun to get some natural vitamin for good bone formation and blood circulation. Though these reasons may be good there exist other lofty reasons why our fathers of education crafted this activity in our curriculum especially at the cradle of our formation nursery, primary and secondary.
Morning assembly is the physical, mental and spiritual preparation before beginning the studies at school. We are entering the temple of learning and therefore we need to make our body and mind pure. If we eat food with impure hands, are we not disrespecting the food? Will it not harm our health? The same is with knowledge. Knowledge is the food for the mind. Kahlil Gibran writes in his famous book, “The Prophet”:
“Your daily life is your temple and your religion. Whenever you enter into it, take with you your all”.
The morning assembly has various activities incorporated into it:
Morning Prayers and Morning devotion : At the morning assembly, prayers are said led by a child, a scripture passage is read from the Holy books followed by some motivational messages . This offers an avenue to fulfill the Biblical and Q'uran injunction of community prayers as some of the children may not have had the opportunity of praying at home with their family excused by busy parents running off to work. The scripture reading and prayers offers an avenue for soul searching to the child while the motivational messages are tunics to realign and keep the child on course to his/her life dreams.
The child who is chosen to lead prayers or read the scriptures if possible develops a better self esteem as he/she will see himself as a role model and hence will watch his steps knowing that he is now a beacon. This child will now pick good habits which will be copied by his peers and these habits will be carried into adulthood.
The row and column arrangement of children:
This also provides a avenue for children to really see their peers and a healthy comparison may ensue: if a child is not properly dressed he or she may see the seniors or his peers who is well dressed and learn to be well dressed. Children are none to be unsteady and running about but at the assembly the are compelled to stand in a line for about 15-20 mins hence helping the child to imbibe the adult attitude of steadiness at a younger age.
News and Announcement: At the morning assembly news is giving to the children that will help keep them informed and patriotic to the nation this imbibes in the child the importance of news as it concerns the nation and the child will be current happenings and trends of his country hence becoming an active citizen and not a passive one which is very vital in adulthood. Important announcement are made during the assembly. During this activity the child learns the method and courtesies involved in addressing people as the teacher reads the news and gives the announcement.
The Marching parade: The culmination of this whole preparation of the child for a better adult through the morning assembly is the marching song of dispersal. The students literally marching towards the class like soldiers-well equipped, well aware of their duties and ready to learn new things and also to put them all into practice.
We should remember that we are manifestations of the Divine. Let us realize it and make our life meaningful.
There are other activities done during the morning assembly which this article did not touch but let this few remind us of what we have been taught and has been invested in us to make us better and patriotic adults to build a greater Nigeria.
